Easyjet has announced that it will fly the first direct service from Manchester to Bilbao and will also start a service from Gatwick to Sicily in the summer.

The budget airline will fly three times a week on both routes. The Bilbao service starts on 17th June and the Sicily service on 25h June.

Easyjet’s UK general manager Paul Simmons said: “Sicily is a glorious island and a popular tourist destination. By launching the new route to Catania we’re making it more accessible and affordable for everyone.”

Commenting on the Bilbao service, UK commercial manager at EasyJet Ali Gayward said: “This new route will build upon Easyjet’s presence at Manchester Airport and further strengthen the region’s economic links with the Basque Country.”